CAR’S CURVEBALLS
6 questions only we would ask
Tell us about your irst car?
‘A classic Fiat Cinquecento.’ (See main story for more).
What achievement makes you most proud?
‘I started racing very young. Fortunately I am still racing now, and I don’t feel any handicap compared to younger drivers.’
What’s the best thing you’ve ever done in a car?
‘I have had many crashes in racing and fortunately I jump out of the car always with my legs. Some other drivers don’t have this luck.’
Tell us about a time you’ve screwed up?
‘Oh, I have made a lot of mistakes. You always make mistakes in racing. Sometimes I still do! If you don’t, you are not trying. The best way to approach mistakes is to use your experience to avoid them in the future. It might not make you faster, but it makes you more consistent.’
Supercar or classic?
‘Supercar. I like the modernity, the technology. Electronics have helped safety a lot during the last 20 years. I remember driving a Ferrari F40 and it was undriveable in the wet! A Cinquecento could overtake you. Now you can buy a car with 600700bhp and go to the shops without any problem.’
Career curveball… If you could choose one car from your career to race again, which one would it be?
‘The 1996 ITC (International Touring Car) Alfa 155 – one of the most complicated saloons ever built. No limits; active aero, moving laps, moving ballast. Best car I’ve raced.’